OPEN ACCESS Geoplanning Vol 4, No. 2, 2017, 171-186 Journal of Geomatics and Planning E-ISSN: 2355-6544 http://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/geoplanning doi: 10.14710/geoplanning.4.2.171-186 MAPPING AND ASSESSMENT OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON MAJOR ROADS IN MINNA, NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF CHANCHAGA L.G.A) O. G. Ajayi a, A. T. Oluwunmi a, J. O. Odumosu a, T. J. Adewale b a Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria b Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State, Nigeria Article Info: Abstract: The level of urbanization in the developing world indicates that more people Received: 10 July 2017 live in cities nowadays than before. As urbanization increases, road usage also in revised form: 29 September 2017 proportionately increases which sometimes introduce some strains to the existing road. Accepted: 17 October 2017 Available Online: 30 October 2017 As a consequence, it constitutes some impediments to free traffic flow. The situation described above is located on Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, an Keywords: urban center in North central, Nigeria. In order to investigate the probable causes and Urbanization, traffic mapping, degree of severity of this menace, attempt has been made in this research to geospatial modeling, dynamic road segmentation, land use, Traffic investigate and map out the nature of traffic congestion frequently experienced on Information System. some selected roads within Chanchaga LGA. These road networks include: Kpakungu- Gidan Kwano road, Bosso-Mobil route, Bosso–Mekunkele route, Kpakungu–city gate Corresponding Author: road and Book roundabout–Mobil Route. Using a 1m Pan-Sharpened spatial resolution Ayodeji Timothy Oluwunmi IKONOS Image, handheld GPS receivers, and manual traffic count, the traffic patterns Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Federal University of the selected road networks within the study area were assessed and mapped out. A of Technology, Minna, Nigeria Geo-Database was also designed for the routes which provide information about the Email: [email protected] road pavement condition, average traffic volume, adjacent land use, etc. Analysis of results and other performed queries revealed that the most probable causes of traffic congestion in Chanchaga LGA were due to narrow road width, bad road pavement and indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the road corridors, especially by commercial cab drivers. Conclusively, it was observed that the Kpakungu axis of Minna – Bida road is the most congested route of the entire road networks considered, closely followed by the Bosso-Mobil Road. The traffic gridlock along these routes is most prominent on Mondays and Wednesdays (around 8am and 4pm) and correspondingly on Fridays (around 1-4pm). Furthermore, a free traffic flow is frequently experienced on Saturdays by 8am which gradually builds a synchronized flow around the evening time on all the considered road networks. Copyright © 2017 GJGP-UNDIP This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY-NC-SA) 4.0 International license. How to cite (APA 6th Style): Ajayi, O. G., et al. (2017). Mapping and assessment of traffic congestion on major roads in Minna, Nigeria (a case study of Chanchaga L.G.A). Geoplanning: Journal of Geomatics and Planning, 4(2), 171-186. doi:10.14710/geoplanning.4.2.171-186 1. INTRODUCTION Traffic congestion has been one of major issues that most metropolises are facing. In order to mitigate this congestion, many measures have been taken (Rao & Rao, 2012). It is believed that the identification of congestion characteristics is the first step for such efforts as an essential guidance for selecting appropriate measures (Rao & Rao, 2012). Congestion; both in perception and in reality, impacts the movement of people, freight. It is deeply tied to the history of high levels of accessibility and mobility. Traffic congestion wastes time and energy, causes pollution and stress, decreases productivity and imposes costs on society (Rao & Rao, 2012). | 171 Ajayi et al. / Geoplanning: Journal of Geomatics and Planning, Vol 4, No. 2, 2017, 171-186 doi: 10.14710/geoplanning.4.2.171-186 The United Nations estimates that urban areas are currently home to 50% of the world’s population, and predicts that estimated figure will reach 70% by 2050 (United Nations Expert Group, 2009). Growing urbanization provides both opportunities and challenges from the perspectives of transportation mobility, climate change and air quality. Higher population densities generally support greater levels of transit and can make destinations more easily accessible by walking or cycling. This further provides increased mobility while allowing reduced usage of passenger vehicles (Pike, 2010). Urban population growth and urbanization are major factors influencing decisions with regards to worldwide Central Business District (CBD) development activities. Of significance, traffic congestion is issued as a global phenomenon in the management of city’s CBDs, giving the level of population and activity concentration. United Nations (2011) first reported the urban population dominance in 2010, revealing that urban areas are home to 3.5 billion (50.5%) of world’s population and that cities’ population is expected to increase to 5.2 billion in 2050. Paradoxically, the CBD remains the economic dynamics and geography of city’s core activities and businesses, among which are international finance and business, retail and wholesale shopping hierarchy as well as leisure, culture and entertainment, thereby generating thousands of employment opportunities and supporting residences. CBDs are bisected by (1) complex socio-economic problems; such as inadequate housing, social infrastructural facilities and services shortages, as well as traffic and transportation challenges, (2) essentially inadequate public transport provision; resulting in mobility crisis. This has significant implications on traffic congestion, adverse effects on the economic and people’s social life-style with increasing social cost of congestion (Willett, 2006). Traffic congestion is a situation which occurs on road networks when the number of vehicles on the road exceeds the capacity of the vehicles which the road can accommodate. This congestion is indicated by slower speeds, delay in travel time, and long queues. Traffic congestion is an expected occurrence on road networks in major cities of the world. The frequency of its occurrence is a concern to all road users. These circumstances have driven transport researchers to carry out adequate research on traffic congestion and in so doing model development to help reduce congestion on road networks (Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 2010). Lindsey and Verhoef (2009) on congestion modeling, postulated that there is no single best way to model traffic flow and congestion but that the level of detail at the driver’s behavior should be modeled, depending on the object of the analysis. Ogunbodede (2007) examined traffic problems in Akure, Nigeria, using a GIS application for the development of a Traffic Information System (TIS). TIS was used in providing solution to traffic congestion in the study area in two ways: (i) by providing traffic information and (ii) by determining queries that can be used to tackle traffic congestion in the study area. Aworemi et al. (2009) identified and investigated some major variables as factors causing congestion in Lagos state. These variables are: poor road condition, road accidents, inadequate road infrastructure, and absence of integrated transport system, inadequate traffic planning and driver’s behavior. The results obtained from the research showed that poor road condition, road traffic accidents, inadequate road infrastructure, absence of integrated transport system, inadequate traffic planning and driver’s behavior made a significant contribution of approximately 70.7% to the traffic congestion situation of Lagos State. Also, according to Okagbue et al. (2015) congestion in Lagos State was partly caused by road users themselves since they have developed attitude of gross impatience and disobedience to traffic rules. He further stated that traffic congestion can be caused by the inability of a driver to give way for another motorist. He said that the effect of traffic congestion equally sometimes affect the wellbeing and behavior of the drivers. Furthermore, they begin to exhibit rude gestures towards one another, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe manner, threats, collisions which may further result to injuries and deaths. Onasanya and Akanmu (2002) opined that GIS can be utilized in the design of TIS (Traffic Information System) in curbing of incessant traffic congestion. The significance of TIS in cities bedeviled with traffic congestion can no longer overstressed. This is because the old ways of traffic controlling such as one way, odd and even numbers, flyovers, construction of new routes, park and ride system, have not been able to eliminate traffic congestion in places such as Lagos, Benin-city, Port Harcourt. Hence, there is a serious need to set in place vital TIS structure to observe congestion in these cities before it is too late. Olusina and 172 | Ajayi et al. / Geoplanning: Journal of Geomatics and Planning, Vol 4, No. 2, 2017, 171-186 doi: 10.14710/geoplanning.4.2.171-186 Olaleye (2013) also opined that that Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is an alternative technology which holds